Nashville judge hears arguments in civil service suit

Workers say state layoffs didn't follow rules

5:35 AM,
Jun. 18, 2013

Gov. Bill Haslam

Written by

Chas Sisk
| The Tennessean

Lawyers argued in a Nashville courtroom Monday over whether Gov. Bill Haslam's administration followed state law before laying off several hundred public employees.

An attorney for the state of Tennessee defended Haslam and several agencies against a lawsuit by the Tennessee State Employees Association, which claims the state prevented approximately 200 laid-off workers from finding new positions with the state by taking down a job-placement website.

Senior counsel Leslie Bridges argued that the state offered other services, including retirement counseling and tuition ...